COLONEL WILLIAM JOHNSON (About 1750)

THE PAPERS OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON

Prepared for publication by The Division of Archives and History

JAMES SULLIVAN PK.D. Director and State Historian

VOLUME II

ALBANY

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1922

'f^HXSOX

THE PAPERS OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON

Prepared for publication by The Division of Archives and History

JAMES SULLIVAN Ph.D. Director and State Historian

VOLUME II

ALBANY

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1922

e

CONTENTS

VOLUME II

PAGE

Portraits of Johnson ix

Autographs from Volume II xiii

Preliminary campaigns, 1 755-1 756 1

Seven Years' War . 473

Appendix 897

[Hi]

ILLUSTRATIONS

Colonel William Johnson Frontispiece

From an oil painting in the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society.

PAGE Site of Johnson's fortified camp at Lake George 6

From a photograph.

Colonel Moses Tilcomb 14

From a portrait in the Public Library, Newburyport. The original was in the possession of Robert Frothingham formerly of Brooklyn. A reproduction of it is to be found in Currier's " Quid Newbury."

Hendrick 16

From a contemporary copper engraving in the Emmet Collection, New York Public Library.

Rev. Stephen Williams 18

From a copper plate engraving in the New York State Library, Albany.

William Williams 18

From a print in the New York State Library, Albany.

Bloody Pond 24

From a photograph.

House of Lydius 30

Enlarged from a " Map of Lake Champlain from Fort Chambly to Fort St Frederick or Crown Point. Surveyed by Mr Anger King's Surveyor in 1732. Made at Quebec the loth of October 1748. Signed de Lery."

Colonel Ephraim Williams' grave 48

From a photograph.

Colonel Williams' monument 60

Erected in 1854. From a photograph.

Sir William Johnson? 96

From an oil painting labelled as by T. Adams in the possession of Robert W. Chambers, Broadalbin, N. Y.

The Johnson (?) portrait 1 28

From an engraving by T. Cole in the museum at Letchworth Park, New York, made from a drawing of the oil portrait in the possession of W. L. Bryant of Buffalo, N. Y.

Sir William Johnson 160

From a photograph of a mezzotint engraving by Spooner of a drawing by T. Adams, published in 1756. In the New York State Library, Albany.

Sir William Johnson 192

From a contemporary print in the New York State Library, Albany.

Sir William Johnson 224

From a contemporary print (1756) in the New York State Library, Albany.

[v]

vi Illustrations

PAGE Sir William Johnson 256

Prom a contemporary print by A. Walker in the New York State Library, Albany.

— ? Johnson >...,.,,* 256

From an engraving by F. Bartolozzi. See the preface on " Portraits of Johnson."

Hendrick and Sir William Johnson 288

From a photograph of the monument on the battlefield of Lake George. Erected by the Society of Colonial Wars.

Lord Loudoun . 514

From a mezzotint engraving by Spooner in Smith, J. C. British Mezzotint Portraits, of an original painting in oil by Allan Ramsay.

Site of Fort William Henry ........... 730

From a photograph.

Lord Howe 800

From a photograph in the possession of S. H. P. Pell of Ticonderoga. It is from a painting in possession of one of the descendants of the Howe family in England.

MAPS AND PLANS

State Reservation at Lake George 2

From the Fifth Annual Re fort of the Society for the Preservation of Scenic a»d Historic Places and Objects, Albany, 1900.

The Lake George campaign 4

From a reconstructed drawing of Timothy Clement's map published in 1756. In Winsor's Narrative and Critical History of America, V:s86a, b.

Fort Edward 52

From a copy in the New York State Library made from a copy said to be of an original in the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester. It is not very similar to the plan of Fort Edward on the Clement map (see p. 4 of this volume) or to that on the Blodget map published in his work called The Battle near Lake George.

Fort William Henry 312

From A set of plans and forts in America, reduced from actual surveys, 1763* published in London by LaRoque? or Mary Ann Rocque?

French map of country from Fort Edward to Crown Point 420

From letter to Sir Thomas Robinson in the Public Record Office, C. O. 5.46, London, England.

Johnson's map of Lake George and vicinity 422

From letter to Sir Thomas Robinson as above.

Montcalm's attack on Fort William Henry 728

From A set of plans, etc. See above under the plan of Fort William Henry.

Montcalm's map of the country from Crown Point (Fort St

Frederic) to Albany 740

From a copy of the original which is in the possession of Arthur G. Doughty of Ottawa. This was presented about the year 1800 to the Hon. Mr Neilson by a Recollect Father, who stated that it had been designed for Montcalm. It is _ to be found in Knox Historical Journal of the Campaigns in North America, edited by A. G. Doughty, 111:28.

Lake George and vicinity 870

From Mante, History of the Late War, London, 1772.

Abercromby's attack on Ticonderoga 872

From Almon, Remembrancer, London, 1778. The plan is reproduced in Winsor, Narrative and Critical History of America, V:S24.

£vii]

PORTRAITS OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON

There are two well authenticated contemporary oil portraits of Sir William Johnson. The first of these is now in the pos- t session of the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society. It was obtained in 1921, by John M. Clarke, president of that society, from John Leonard of Culmullen House, Drumree, County Meath, Ireland. Mr Leonard got the portrait from his uncle who lived in Warrenstown in the same county. Anne Warren, Johnson*s mother, came from that place.

Accompanying the portrait is an autograph letter (also in the possession of the Albany Historical Society) from Johnson to his father, dated October 31, 1754. As it has been printed at the end of volume one, only the last paragraph is given here :

HONRD. S*

As I cannot wait of you myself yet a while, I send you my Picture, wh. I had drawn four years ago, the Drapery I would have altered, but here is no Painter now can do it, the greatest fault in it is, the narrow hanging Shoulders wh. I beg you may get altered as Mine are verry broad and square.

WM JOHNSON

Our interest in this centers in the last paragraph. From this it is evident that the portrait was made about 1750. There may be some question as to the use of the word " drawn " in connection with an oil portrait. From this word it might be maintained that this letter refers to a drawing and not to an oil painting. The idea would be that Johnson had a drawing made from which some painter was to make a portrait in oil. The word " draw," however, was used then as now with reference to portraits in oil. Samuel Pepys in his Diary written in the century preceding uses the word thus.

Had the picture which Johnson sent his father been only a drawing from which this oil painting, which we now have, was

[ix]

x Portraits of Sir William Johnson

to be made, the artist in oils would most probably have made the changes which Johnson particularly wished to have made in the " narrow hanging Shoulders." Were it merely a drawing John- son would have been more than likely to say something about having the shoulders changed when it was done over in oil. He evidently felt that the portrait was such in its defects in the shoulders that no one but a painter in oils could make the altera- tions. His father evidently never had the alterations made as the " narrow hanging Shoulders " still show in this portrait.

Where Johnson had it done or by whom cannot be deter- mined. A careful search fails to reveal the name of an artist. It may have been painted by some itinerant portrait painter who visited him at Mount Johnson or he may have had it painted on some one of his visits to New York or Albany, and then had it sent to him after it was finished. The latter would seem probable in view of the fact that the narrow shoulders were painted with- out his having a chance to have the artist alter them.

There is a coincidence in the fact that a drawing from which Spooner made his mezzotint of Johnson, (of which more later) was done by T. Adams, and that Robert Adams (Adems) was Johnson's secretary at this time. It was Mrs Adams, his wife, who took this portrait to Johnson's father in Ireland. It is, how- ever, a coincidence which tells us nothing. A statement by some that the painting was by Hudson is not supported by a com- parison of it with any of Hudson's works. This painting shows none of the high quality found in the portraits done by so eminent an artist.

By 1 750 Johnson had become an important personage in the Mohawk valley. He was colonel of the warriors of the Six Nations and of fourteen companies of militia. Governor Clinton had placed in his hands all the papers of the department of Indian affairs. He had built an imposing stone house at Mount Johnson and had entertained there the eminent Swedish naturalist Peter Kalm. It was but natural that he should have his portrait painted at this time and that the artist should have portrayed him in his military uniform.

Portraits of Sir William Johnson xi

The portrait shows a man of about thirty-five years, which was Johnson's age at the time. The high, broad forehead, the prominent nose and cleft chin characterize this likeness as they do the later portrait and engravings which were made of him.

A second contemporary oil portrait of Johnson is at present in the possession of the heir presumptive to the baronetcy, Frederick Colpoys Ormsby Johnson, whose address is: Lamorna, Wyke Road, Weymouth, England. This is the portrait which Stone had copied in oil When it was in the possession of the above gentleman's father, John Ormsby Johnson, who was Sir Wil- liam's great grandson. About 1 876, Edward F. DeLancey pur- chased this copy from Stone and donated it to the New York Historical Society in 1 896, in whose building in New York City it still is. It was from this copy that Stone had the engraver J, C. Buttre make the steel engraving which appears as the frontispiece of Stone's Life of Sir William Johnson.

Correspondence with F. C. Ormsby Johnson says that no name of an artist can be found on the original in his possession* " It was," he says, " varnished and touched up (not very cleverly) some years ago. The signature, if it ever existed,

would have been discovered, I think, by the artist, who touched • »» it up.

This portrait shows Sir William at a much more advanced age than that painted in 1750. As far as it can be judged it shows a man about fifty to fifty-five years of age. If such judg- ment is correct, it must have been done somewhere between 1 765 and 1770.

A comparison of the two portraits shows such striking simi- larities as to leave no doubt that they are of the same man.

There is a third portrait in oil, said to be of Sir William, in the possession of the novelist Robert W. Chambers at his house in Broadalbin. About its authenticity there is some doubt. There is, however, enough of a similarity to the two preceding, particularly in the chin, to warrant a feeling that perhaps it may be a portrait of Sir William. There is no name on the painting itself, but on the frame there is placed the name of T. Adams,

xii Portraits of Sir William Johnson

of whom mention has been made above in connection with the drawing from which Spooner made his mezzotint. This portrait Mr Chambers says he got from his father who obtained it by purchase. Further than this he knows nothing. A comparison of it, however, with the engraving from one of the London maga- zines in 1 756 shows sufficient similarity to warrant the belief that possibly either the portrait was based upon the engraving or vice versa.

A fourth painting, said to be of Sir William, is in the posses- sion of William L. Bryant, 1231 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, N. Y. It is so unlike Johnson in every detail that nothing but doubt may be said to surround the claims for its authenticity. Numerous letters which passed between Sir William George Johnson and William L. Bryant's father diow that at first the former showed no confidence in the belief that it was to be taken for a portrait of Sir William. Then by one of those common episodes in self persuasion he became convinced from a series of doubtful tales that it was truly an authentic portrait.

A wood engraving was made of it and is signed T. Cole. A copy of the engraving hangs in the museum at Letchworth Park, New York.

There are four contemporary engravings of Sir William. One of these published in 1 756 is a mezzotint by Spooner from a drawing by T. Adams. Of the latter artist this is the only known mention in the history of artists, but Spooner is a well known engraver. The other three engravings are from London magazines. There is a fifth engraving by Bartolozzi, but it is sometimes entitled Sir William Johnson, and sometimes Sir John Johnson. There is a possibility that it represents neither and is in reality a portrait of Colonel Guy Johnson. Fiske in his American Revolution (1896 edition, 1 :304) says that General De Peyster, who originally thought of this portrait as one of Sir John Johnson, told him that he had a " suspicion " that it was a portrait of Guy Johnson.

JAMES SULLIVAN

State Historian

AUTOGRAPHS FROM VOLUME II

[xiii]

xiv Authographs from Volume II

Audiographs from Volume II xv

SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON PAPERS

FROM TIMOTHY RUGGLES A. D. S.

Scpr. X 7755

An appointment of a Regimental Court Martial for ye Imme- diate Tryall of Such Crimes as have been Committed by any person in My Regiment & Cognizable before a Regimental Court Martial

Cap*. Jo*. Whitcombe President Lieu4 Jn°. Stebbins

Members

Lieu1. Thompson

Ensign Jn°. Tisdale Ensign Daniels

and of your Doings herein you are to make Return Given

under my hand at Lake S'. George

<,; TIM°. RUGGLES

COURT MARTIAL Headquarters September pe 3 7755

The Proceedings of Court Martial held here this day in order for to try any prisoner In Col Rugles Regiment that shall be found guilty and there being none apprehended In sd Regiment [ ] found guilty of any Crime So the1

INDORSED: Report of Reg*. Court Martial appointed by Col. Ruggles.

TO THE LORDS OF TRADE SEPTEMBER 3

A paper which followed this in the Johnson Calendar, and was destroyed in the fire, comprised undated information given by Daniel Claus regarding efforts of Shirley's agents to prevent Indians from joining John-

1 Remainder of manuscript illegible.

2 Sir William Johnson Paper*

son and action of Hendrick and others to defeat their influence. This was followed by Johnson's letter of September 3d to the lords of trade on the Caghnawagas, Shirley's agents among the Indians, the writer's desire to be independent of Colonial governors and progress of the expe- dition (printed in Doc. Hist. N. Y., 2:684-89; Q. 2:399-401, and Doc. Rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 6:993-97). Not destroyed.

DISPUTES BETWEEN SHIRLEY AND JOHNSON1

September 3-October 5, 7755

There is no Letter from General Johnson to the Secretary of State, but the Board of Trade have transmitted one to them, dated the 3d. of Sepr. full of Complaints against Governor Shir- ley who has, as General Johnson says endeavoured to do him all the Prejudice He can with the Indians, that He has repre- sented him as an Upstart, entirely dependant upon him, & that He furnishes him with all the Money & Presents for the Indians, & that He can pull him down, when He pleases. That Mr Shirley employs one Lydius to the Indians who is a Person odious to them; that Mr Shirley in order to detach the Indians from Mr Johnson, has made them such large Offers, that Mr Johnson has been obliged to yield to very unreasonable Demands from them. In support of this, Mr Johnson incloses the Speech of the Great Mohock Indian, relating what Mr Shirley had said to Them. General Johnson thinks these Proceedings contrary to the Commission given him by General Braddock by which he was appointed sole Superintendant of the Indian Affairs. That He cannot fullfill the King's Expectations, if his Proceedings are to be controulled by a Governor, and unless a certain Fund is appointed, & confided to his Disposal, for that Service, & unless He is put on that Footing, He desires to decline the Charge — The only Reason he can guess for Mr Shirley's Conduct is, his not having provided 1 00 Indians to escort him to Oswego, which the Indians said was unnecessary, as the Road lay thro' their Country. There is no Letter from Mr Shirley, on this Subject,

Mn British Museum, AdditL Mss. 33.029. fo. 215 (Newcastle Papers)

SURVEY FOR THE STATE RESERVATION AT LAKE GEORGE

Preliminary Campaigns, 1755-1756

but, in one of the 5th. Octr : on the Action at Lake George, He refers to Copies of two Letters to General Johnson, for his Senti- ments of his Conduct, and says, He dont yet certainly fynoiv, what the Issue of that Expedition will be this Year, but has reason to think it Jvill be dissatisfactory to all the New England Colonies as well as Himself.1

In Mr Shirley's Letter to General Johnson, He does not make any particular Accusation, but seems to hint, that He has taken a wrong Road to Crown Point, That the Fort he is building at Lake George is useless, — presses him to go on, and by all means endeavour to make Himself Master of Tironderoge — Thinks He must have sufficient Force for that purpose — That his Account of the Strength of the French is aggravated — and differs from him in his opinion of the Conduct of the French in the late Action.

INDORSED: Disputes between Governor Shirley & General Johnson Sep',32

BENNING WENTWORTH TO SIR THOMAS ROBINSON *

Portsmouth September 3d. 1755 SIR

That His Majesty may be advised Of the progress of the Provincial forces Employed for removeing the Encroachments made by the French at Crown point, I Think it my duty to Transmit! a Copy of Major General Johnson's letter to me of the

1 Italicized matter was underlined in the original.

2 The transcriber in London states that the date is in the hand of New- castle, but correspondence of a later date is embraced by this review.

•In Public Record Office. C. O. 5. 16, London, England.

• 4 Sir William Johnson Papers

24th of August, from the Camp, on Hudson's River, also a Copy of the result of a Council of war held at the same place, on the further proceeding of the Army, by which it Will appear that a reinforcement is generally advised to, which I have urged on the Assembly of this Province to provide For, But the Council and Assembly are Averse at present to any Augmentation Alledging that the regiment In the service of this Province Consisting of 500 men is Equal to 5000 men in The Service of the Massa- chusetts Government, and at present that Government Has but 1 500 men in this Expedition.

General Johnson's demand For an Additional force at this late hour, makes me doubtfull of our Success, The Defeat of the late General Braddock on the Ohio, I am apprehensive makes General Johnson the more Cautious, which at this Critical Con- juncture Is absolutely necessary, for should Governor Shirley meet with a defeat at Niagara and General Johnson at Crown point, it will so dishearten our Indians, and so greatly Animate those In the French interest, that there would Be the greatest danger of the Indians of the Six Nations and those in friendship With them going over to the French — For this reason only the greatest Caution Is necessary to be used at this time, and Unless we are sure of haveing a Superiour force, it will be safer to retreat than To risque a defeat — I am With all possible respect Sir, Your most faithfull Servant

B. WENTWORTH

The Right Honble SlR THOMAS ROBINSON —

INDORSED: New Hampshire Sepr. 3d. 1755.^ Govr. Wentworth. R Oct'. 6*.

Preliminary Campaigns, 1755-1756 5

FROM GOLDSBROW BANYAR

A L S

4 Sep. 1755 [5m]

As the Express sent [ ] some urgent Business of

own has [ ] Hans to forward some dispatches

General [ ] some to yourself and General Lyman,

thought it might be proper to acquaint you with it, least this ;lay might otherwise be prejudicial to that Gentleman. I am Sr. Your most obed*. humble Servant

Gw BANYAR

His Excy Sr. Charles Hardy arrived here the 2d. Instant about

Pl Mer. and landed at 1 2 the next day under the discharge of

ic Cannon & received by the Ll. Gov. the Council Corpr. &

>rincipal Gentlemen the Militia being under arms. I believe

lim to be that amiable Person he is represented to be. There's

LO News after a Passage of ten Weeks. The doctor writes.

'he Rope is sent

)DRESSED : To Major General Johnson

at the Camp at Lake S*. Sacrament

fDORSED: Albany 7 Septemr 1 755

Recd & forwarded by Sir

Your most humble Serv*

JA STEVENSON

6 Sir William Johnson Papers*

TO JAMES DE LANCEY

Camp at Lake George 4 Sepr. 1755 SIR

I arrived here with about 1 500 Men the 28<th> past in the Evening, all was thick Wood, not a Foot of Land cleared, Our time since has been chiefly spent in opening the Ground about us & forming some regular kind of Encampment building temporary Store houses for Provisions &c. these Matters are now nearly accomplished. We have fixt on a Spot for a Fort 2 it is clearing & near 400 Men employed, who I hope in a few days will have the Fort in great forwardness & that it will be put into a respect- able Condition before the Army leaves this place.

I find since I left the Great Carrying Place the Works there have advanced but slowly — the Men murmur at being employed in these Matters & many of the chief officers do not seem very sanguine about them, indeed that due Subordination wch is neces- sary in Military Life seems very much wanting among us. I daily remonstrate on this Point & do all in my power to support it, but the Causes I fear lay too deep & are too general to be remedied.

There are now at the Great Carrying place 5 Companys of Col. Cockrofts Reg1. & the New Hampshire Regf. By a Letter last night from them, I find they have Quarrelled with each other that blows have past & some are wounded.

The New York Companies are in a Mutinous Condition for want of Pay & threaten to go off, nay I think a large Body did attempt it. When we left Albany Col. Cockcroft applied to me

1 By Wraxall.

1 See Samuel Blodget, The Battle Near Lake George, p. 5.

Preliminary Campaigns, 1755-1756 7

told me that he proposed his Reg*, should be paid up to the ic they were to march & then Issue no more pay till their return -As I did not conceive they should have any use for money in ic uninhabited Woods I thought the thing right & reasonable & gave my Consent. But I find not only the Companys there but the 3 Connecticut Companies here insist upon having their Pay agreable to the Act of Assembly, that is Monthly; the Com- panies here threatened to go off if they were not paid — I took measures to quiet them, but was obliged to give one of the Cap- tains leave to go to Albany in order to get his Pay & I have wrote Col. Cockcroft that as the Act was positive & left nothing to Circumstances, I thought he must direct the pay Masrs. either to come <or send> some Person for 'em to Issue the pa<y. In short> there is not through * the Troops <in gener>al due Subordination kept up. <^The of ^> fleers are most of them low weak People, <^who have nei^>ther the ability nor Inclination to maintain a necessary Superiority, some of them I believe are sorry Fellows & rather join with than restrain their Men. I have this morning ordered one Cap1 Hall of the 3 Connecticut Com- panies into Confinement upon suspicion of being concerned with one of his People in selling the Store Rum to the Indians. The Indians are perpetually Drunk, their Insolence is scarce to be born at these times — they give me not a Moments rest or leisure. However I send Scouting Parties daily out every way. By the last Scouts from Tionderogue, the French had thrown no Works up there, they discovered a Party of the Enemy of about 20 thereabouts. I have ordered the Battoes up from the Carrying Place or at least 200 as soon as possible when they arrive & put in order, if I get no Intelligence to prevent it, I propose to set off with a part of the Troops & take post there. We are greatly distressed for want of Waggons many have deserted the Service, Numbers of Horses tired — so that without a fresh Recruit we

Throughout

8 Sir William Johnson Papers

shall I fear be fatally delayed. I have wrote & given Orders on that head.

I have with me or at least there has joined me ab*. 250 Indians they seem hearty & well disposed — Severall more daily expected they are very uneasy about the Cagnawagas & have sent another wch is to be the last Embassy to them, & I hope to have the result in a day or two.

<What with the> trouble I have with the Indians & that disorderly management there is among the Troops, I am almost distracted. I have neither rest night nor day, nor a comfortable thinking hour to myself. Our Sick increase our Men impatient to have the affair ended & most of the officers little better, yet they will not carry things on with that order & Application neces- sary to forward our Proceedings. I would exert Authority but I cannot be sufficiently seconded.

If your honour finds this Letter a confused one, my Circum- stances must be my Apology. I write by bitts & Scraps, Inter- uptions wch. I cannot prevent come upon me, & Matters w0*1. must not be delayed interfere.

A Scouting Party of Indians yesterday discovered a tract about as they thought 7 or 8 days old of 1 50 or 200 French & Indians wch. led directly to Scenectady, I immediately sent an Express there & to Albany to put them on their Guard. I have this day Sent a party of our Forces with some Indians to intercept them if possible. We have no Interuption from the Enemy. Gen- eral Lyman had one Man Scalped & 1 taken Prisoner ab*. 3 Miles from Great Carrying Place; they were looking for Cattle belonging to the Connecticut Troops.

With the Indian Scouts & if the Sentrys & Guards will do their Duty I am not affraid of any Insult from the Enemy — but God help us our Sentrys I fear a a diligent 1 have

1 Writing illegible.

Preliminary Campaigns, 1 7 55-1756 9

>rdered Patrolls every half hour round our whole Encam<^p'ts^> during the Night & if my Orders are observed, I do not dread a Surprise.

This Lake called Lake Sl. Sacrament by the French, I have called Lake George not only in honour to his Majesty but to assertain his Dominion here.

To the Honble JAMES D<ELANCEY> Esqr

INDORSED BY WRAXALL: Generals Letter to Gov*.

DeLancey

4Sep'. 1755

TO THOMAS POWNALL

<Camp at Lake George 4 Septf /755> DEAR SIR

I have lately received a long < Letter from General > Shirley tis in Answer to one I wrote him, & if I <had time> to send you the Copy of it, you would only be con < fused un>less I would also send you a former I reed from him <& my> answer w0*1 are at Albany. This Letter is wrote with all <the> Inso- lence of a Man drunk with power, envenomed by Malice & burn- ing with Revenge — his Arguments are Weak & confused they bear the evident Marks of Passion overruling Reason — he asser<ts> Facts notoriously false, & attempts tho very clumsily, artfully to pervert all my Actions & Arguments — in short the Attorney General appears quite rash. I have wrote him, but told him I believed his, & I am sure my time would not allow me to give a proper answer to his Letter wch is all the notice I have taken of it. however I perceive plainly from the Stile, Temper & Character of the Man that I may expect every thing that can be

By Wraxall.

I

10 Sir William Johnson Papers

executed by a bad Man abandoned to passion & enslaved by resentment. I have therefore in defence of my Character, wch is all I am truly anxious about thought it a prudent step to write the Letter I herewith send you to the Lords of Trade 1 — after perusal you will please to Seal & forward it, and if truth & Prudence permit, I wish it might carry with it your Sentiments in a general way.

I am under a good deal of Anxiety lest my future Sch< ernes > with regard to the Expedition, should be too much retarded & <even> defeated, by the want of Waggons & Provisions fall- ing short. I have done all in my power to prevent both. There is no due Subordination among the Troops, & the officers with very few Exceptions a set of low lifed Ignorant People, the Men lazy, easily discouraged by Difficulties, & from the popularity of their Gov18 neither accustomed or disposed to obedience.

However I am pushing all I can to embark with a part of the Troops in order to take post at Tionderogue provided the Scouts I have out dont discover a Strength there too much for us.

Great numbers of our Waggoners have deserted, some of them coming up threw the Shot they were loaded with into the Woods, they have plundered the Provisions they brought in their Wag- gons, in short they are a set of great Rascals.

The Specious Patriotism of the Albanians in helping forward the first Division, so splendidly set << forth in the News papers, was truly > thus. Intimations <were given by a Friend of theirs about > Govr. Shirley that there < would be a general press> for Steersmen &c. to help him f or < ward to Oswe>go to shun this as the greater Evil, a consultation <^was^> held & the patriot Scheme aforementioned agreed on by wch means the dreaded Press was defeated. In no respect, whatsoever without pay did

1 See reference above to letter of September 3 to lords of trade.

Preliminary Campaigns, 1755-1756

11

any of the Inhabitants help forward the other Divisions, but on the Contrary when Waggons were wanted hid them & drove away their Horses to the Delay & distress of the Service — All their Generosity & public spirit remains as much a secret as ever it did.

The Paragraph in the News Papers about the Cartridges at Saraghtoga, I have inquired into & is in every part a gross & impudent Falsehood.

Both writers in & Printers of New Papers take Liberties at this Juncture, wch are not only founded in Impudence & Ignorance of the true state of things, but are or may be very injurious to the public Good, party views may justify it to themselves yet in sober Truth they ought to have their Ears Cropt for it. This is not enjoying the Liberty, but proving the Licentiousness of the Press.

I wish you would convey without any authors name the Sub- stance of these 4 last paragraphs into Franklin's Paper1 — You will oblige a Number of officers here & make an offering to truth & justice.

I inclose you a Speech made by the Indians of the Upper Mohock Castle 2 to me in the presence of a number of the Chief officers of these Troops, it came from their own free will without my even expecting it, I have such another at Albany from the lower Castle & Authenf ick Papers to prove many other Scan- dalous Proceedings of Govr. Shirley & his Agents.

INDORSED BY WRAXALL:

General's Letter to Mr Pownall 4 Sep' 1 755

xThe Pennsylvania Gazette.

2 Hendrick's speech at a meeting of officers and Indians at Lake George on September 4th, repeating words of Shirley to the Mohawks, is printed in Doc. Rd. to Col. Hist. N. Y.t 6:998-99.

12 <Sir William Johnson Papers

LIST OF FRENCH POSTS1

Quebec 350

Trois riviere

Montreal 400

Niagara

Lapointe 300

Cataraquois •

Lagalette 50

S». Jean 40

La belle riviere 300

1910

MINUTES OF COUNCIL OF WAR A. D. S.

^Headquarters: Camp at Lake George Fryday,

5 Sep'. 1755. A. M.>

At a Council of War <held by General Johnson>

Pres'.

The General

Majr. General Lyman Lieu1 Col. Whiting

Col. Ruggles Lieu* Col. Cole

Col. Titcomb Majr Fitch

Col. Williams

Capt. Wraxall Sec'?

Arcle. The General desired the Opinion of the Coun- cil about officers & Men to Garrison the Fort at the aforesaid Camp.

1 The numbers in this list apparently show the strength of certain forces. It is entered in the Johnson Calendar as belonging to the early part of September.

Preliminary Campaigns, / 755-77 56 13

The General Acquainted the Council that tho he had issued strict orders against selling Rum to the Indians, yet he found they were not obeyed, for that Rum was constantly & plenti- fully sold to the Indians who were in great numbers daily made Drunk thereby & that he apprehended some very fatal consequences would arise from this Disobedience to orders & that he judged the Matter very worthy of being considered by the Council, that if they could, they might give him their Opinion what further Measures could be taken to prevent this per- nicious Practice & to keep the Soldiers from concerning themselves with the Indians.

The Opinion of this Council is that a Cap*. 2 Subs & 100 Men will be sufft. to be left to Garrison the Fort at the Camp at the Great . Carrying Place

The Members of this Council acquainted the General that they would do everything in their Power to cause his Orders against selling Rum & to prevent any dealings whatsoever from being carried on between the Soldiers & the Indians.

PETER WRAXALL

Sec*

14 'Sir William Johnson Papers

TO JOSEPH BLANCH ARD

Df. Camp <at Lake Ceorge> 6 Septb' 1755*

SIR

I am glad to hear by yr. favour of yesterday yl <you> are safe arrived at the Great Carrying Place. You & yr. Regm1 cannot be more desirous of Joining me than I am you should do so.

But by ye last ace1, of the New York Regm*. at yr. Camp, it will by no means be prudent to leave them to themselves besides our prov8. here grow short & untill we get a recruit You would distress us & be distressed yourselves. I propose to leave a CapP. & 1 00 Men fit for duty at ye. Fort where you are, the officer & Men cannot yet be fixed on, however they shall none of them come out of yr. Regm1. wch I propose to take wlh. me in ye. first Division wch Marches from hence as I make a great dependance upon them. In two or three days at furthest I hope to send you orders to join me here, in ye meantime I must desire & expect that yr. Regm1. & the New Yorkers will apply to & finish the Works. Collo. Bagly is to remain with You. a sufK number of Men & a couple of days brisk working will do the Business. I am glad you are forwardg the Battoes I very much want them here in order to Caulk & get them ready for Embarking. Pray make use of the Artillery Horses to forward the Service, the Waggoners I believe to be in general a parcell of Rascalls & little Credit to be given to them, few of their Complaints are just, you will examine & do as you find needful, but keep them up to their duty & have a strict Eye over them. I am afraid of fatal delays for ye. want of Waggons.

Mn Doc. Rei to Col. Hist. N. Y., 6:999, is a letter of September 6th from Sir Charles Hardy to the lords of trade touching reinforcements for Johnson.

COLONEL MOSES TITCOMB

Preliminary Campaigns, 1755-1756 15

Good Weather is wearing away fast, no time must be lost the moment we can leave this place I will depart.

I am persuaded you will in all respects forward the Service & depend you shant remain a minute longer where you are than necessity & the good of the Service requires.

I am Sir Your very hum Serv1.

<Desire Col. Cock>croft to < write me> what disposition <^his peo^>ple are in. I long to have all the Troops up here.

INDORSED BY WRAXALL: General's Letter to Colonel Blanchard1

MINUTES OF COUNCIL OF WAR

A. D. S. Camp at Lake George 7 Sepr. 1755. P. M.

At a Council of War held by General Johnson. Prest. General Johnson Lieu1. Col. Whiting

Majr. General Lyman Lieu1. Col, Cole

Col Ruggles Majr. Fitch

Col. Titcomb Col. Williams

Cap1 Wraxall SecT.

The General Acquainted this Council, that a few days ago at <a]> Meeting of most of the Members here present, the Ques- tion concerning a> Fort to be built here had been considered; that it had been agreed on — a Fort here was necessary & the Ground recommended by Capt Eyre wch had been viewed by most of those Gentlemen, wch they approved of and that Cap1

1 A signed letter from Johnson to Blanchard, dated September 7, 1 755 was sold at Henkels's auction room in Philadelphia on November 7, 191 1.

16 'Sir William Johnson Papers

Eyre should plan & direct the Building One Capable of commodiously Garrisoning 100 Men. The General further acquainted the Council that a good defensible Fort wch might be maintained even against some Artillery was very necessary not <only to secure a Retreat to the present Forces in case of Neces- sity, but to maintain the possession of his Majesty s Title to this 'important pass for the time to come, and desired the> opinion of this Council of War thereon.

It is the Opinion of the Majority of the Members of this Coun<cil> that a Picketted Fort be built without Delay under <the> Direction of Colonel Williams, sufP. to contain & accommod<ate 100> Men

PETER WRAXALL

MINUTES OF COUNCIL OF WAR

A. D. S. <Camp at, Lake George, 7 Sef>r /755>

ndian?> Intelligence

Pres1 General Johnson Lieu* Col. Whiting

Majr. Gen1. Lyman Lieu* Col, Cole

<Co>l. Ruggles Maj'r. Fitch

<Co>l. Titcomb Cap* Eyre, Col. Williams

Several Indian officers Wm Printup, Interpr. Cap* Peter Wraxall Seer? for In. <affairs.> Most of the Indians at this Encampment

<Three Indians sent by the General on the Scout towards Crown Point returned this afternoon & bring the following Intelligence^

^ Hendrik the Mohock chief being told the Intelligence by the s'd. three Scouts delivered it as follows

HENDRICK

Preliminary Campaigns, 1755-1756

17

Bro". When we first set out from hence we went to South Bay wh<ere> we spied the Tracts of 2 Men wch we followed & came to the Tracts of <3> more wch we pursued & in Journey towards Evening (3 Nights ago) we heard 6 Guns fired & we proceeded on our Journey till Night & in the morning the day before Yesterday we heard so many <Guns> fired that we could not count them, upon wch. we counselled tog<[ether]> & thought this Army must be proceeding by way of Wood Creek, but upon going that road we found we were mistaken for <there> were no tracts that way, upon w^ we turned back towards South Bay in our road found three large Roads made by a great Body of Men Yesterday wch we judge were march<^ing^> towards the Carrying Place & we hereupon made all possible Dispatch hither to acquaint you herewith, as we expect there may be an Attack made at the Carr^ Place either to day or this Night.

The Indn. officers & Interp8. being withdrawn the General